The Bentley track program has produced an All-America or Academic All-America annually from 1986 through 1993. It's a run that started with Ron Moreau, a member of the Class of 1987 and a 1993 Hall of Fame inductee.
Ron became the first track All-America in Bentley history when, as a junior, he finished third in the 800 meters at the 1986 NCAA Division Ill Indoor Track Championships, a meet held at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minn.
After an outstanding high school career at Natick High, Ron first made a mark for himself as a sophomore when he became the first Bentley runner to win a New England championship, taking the 800 meters in a school record time of 1:51.88.
"I was dead last in that race with a lap to go, Ron told the Middlesex News shortly after graduating in 1987. "But I knew the BU track well. It was like a home-field advantage. I swung wide on the last lap, passed a few people on the last corner, and passed Tony Gilbert (of Lowell) in the last 10th of a mile." Ron won the race by nearly a half-second.
Ron, whose strength was his outstanding kick, left Bentley with five individual school records: 800 (the afore-mentioned 1:51.88), 1,000 (2:29.41) and 1,500 meter (3:54.7) runs, as well as the 1,000 yard run (2:11.8), and the outdoor record in the 800 (1:50.89). The records in the indoor 1500 and 1000 yards still stand today, as does the outdoor standard in the sprint medley relay.
Among his other achievements while at Bentley were winning the 1,000 yard run at the 1986 Easterns and setting a meet record and being named "Most Outstanding Performer" at the 1987 Easterns.
Bentley's Outstanding Male Senior Athlete in 1987 and the track team's MVP in 1985, Ron participated in NCAA championships four times during his career.
After graduation, Ron continued his running career, competing for the Reebok Racing Club, the Waltham Track Club and the Boston Athletic Association, where he ran under the tutelage of former Bentley track coaches Bob Sevene and Peter Mariani.
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